Wales’ 30K Illegal Vape Seizures in 2024 Mask Just 12% Enforcement Efficacy

Key points:

The illegal e-cigarette market is growing rapidly: In 2024, more than 30,000 illegal e-cigarette products were seized in Wales, UK, equating to an average of one seizure every 20 minutes.

Law enforcement efforts are limited: only 12% of violations result in closure of the offending establishments, raising concerns about insufficient enforcement resources.

Significant Urban Disparities: Newport City is a "hotspot", accounting for one-third of the total seizures in Wales.

Industry Calls for Regulatory System: The industry suggests establishing a retail and distribution licensing system to address the potential market chaos risk following the upcoming disposable e-cigarette ban.

According to a report by the Pembrokeshire Herald on April 22nd, the latest data shows that in Wales, UK, over 30,000 illegal and unregulated e-cigarette products were seized throughout the entire year of 2024, equivalent to one seizure every 20 minutes.

In various regions, Newport is the city with the highest number of seizures. The Newport City Council confiscated 21,169 illegal items in 2024, a 173% increase from 2023, accounting for one-third of the total seizures in Wales. The city has issued closure orders to 49 stores in the past three years.

Flintshire is the second largest location for illegal e-cigarette seizures, with a total of 4,545 products seized throughout the year, representing a 170% increase compared to the previous year. Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd, and Blaenau Gwent counties followed closely behind, with 1,850, 721, and 607 products seized respectively.

The above data was obtained from 108 local government bodies through Freedom of Information requests by the e-cigarette company Vape Club, and published in the "2025 Illegal e-cigarette Report".

In 2024, there were a total of 82 reports of illegal sales in Wales. Only 5 penalties were issued, and only 10 retailers were ordered to close, resulting in an enforcement rate of only 12%. The issue of inadequate allocation of enforcement resources has therefore attracted significant attention.

According to statistics, in 2024, a total of 1.2 million illegal e-cigarettes were seized in the UK, representing a 44% increase compared to the previous year. On average, this translates to two e-cigarettes being seized every minute.

Industry professionals are calling for the establishment of a "Vape Retailer and Distributor Licensing Scheme."

Dan Marchant, the director of Vape Club, stated that the current issue lies not in the lack of regulations, but in weak enforcement and lenient penalties. He pointed out that if enforcement mechanisms are not strengthened before the ban on disposable e-cigarettes takes effect in June 2025, it could lead to a flood of untested illegal products entering the market.

Marchant emphasized the need to establish a dedicated funding mechanism to support border law enforcement and market regulation. He suggested that revenue generated from licensing fees should be allocated specifically for the enforcement efforts of the Border Force and local Trading Standards authorities, in order to more effectively combat illegal trade and increase the deterrence of violations.